Tory MP calls POLICE as group of PENSIONERS deliver petition

A TORY MP was so concerned by a group of mild-mannered PENSIONERS, he called POLICE.

Published 23rd January 2014

PROTECTION: Sir Richard Ottaway called for police [GETTY/PH]

Sir Richard Ottaway asked officers to attend a meeting with local residents who were presenting the Conservative politician with a petition.

The small group, including an 81-year-old woman, were stunned to find two coppers and a police car blocking their way to Sir Richard's constituency office.

Only Friends of the Earth volunteer Liz Marsden was allowed to enter the Croydon South MP's workplace.

"I think he had in his head that we were raging campaigners, but we were a group of people who were mostly retired and all aligned with charities," she told The Independent.

"If he’d looked out the window he would have seen that we were just a group of responsible citizens."

“I think he had in his head that we were raging campaigners, but we were a group of people who were mostly retired”

Charity volunteer Liz Marsden

The group were presenting a petition against a controversial lobbying bill.

Mrs Marsden added: "It is ironic that the gagging bill is motivated by a fear of people taking part in democracy, and our group was made up of interested constituents trying to talk to their MP and he wouldn’t let our voices be heard."

Sir Richard defended his actions, saying the group had "failed to give assurances" about "security issues".

He told the Croydon Advertiser: "If you have an unknown number of people descending on your office then you have to take precautions.